A new all-you-can-eat sushi concept called Nami Sushi is coming to the former Beef 'O' Brady's space at 5279 US-280 in Brook Highland, filling a storefront that's sat empty since the sports bar's abrupt closure in the spring. The restaurant will offer all-you-can-eat sushi alongside an Asian kitchen menu, though an opening date has not yet been announced.
The news was reported by Bham Now, which noted the new restaurant will sit in the same shopping complex as Burlington, Shoe Station, Michaels, and the ABC Beverage Store. The space has been vacant since Beef 'O' Brady's closed on March 30, after the chain was unable to reach an agreement with the building's landlord on a lease renewal.
That exit played out fast and messy. According to Bham Now's reporting at the time, Beef 'O' Brady's announced its sudden closure at 10 a.m. on March 30, just an hour before the restaurant would have opened for the day. Crew members were seen loading equipment into a U-Haul trailer the following morning, and the building's signage was removed the day after the closure. Beef 'O' Brady's still operates two other Birmingham-area locations, in Hoover and Helena.
A Landlord With Leverage Along a Booming Corridor
The lease dispute that pushed Beef 'O' Brady's out came in a submarket where landlords hold most of the cards. CBRE data shows the Highway 280/Shelby County retail submarket carried a vacancy rate of just 3.5% in December 2025, with 4.1% annual rent growth. The broader Birmingham metro retail market has maintained vacancy below 5% for more than a decade, per CBRE. That same month, CBRE arranged a $57 million refinancing loan on behalf of property owner First National Realty Partners for Brook Highland Plaza, the 422,337-square-foot power center that was 94.4% leased at the time.
The suite at 5279 US-280 is set to become Nami Sushi's new home.
Why Sushi, Why Now
First National Realty Partners has noted that US-280 at Brook Highland Plaza carries over 82,000 vehicles daily, serving a five-mile trade area with average household incomes exceeding $134,000.
Nami Sushi's arrival would add another dining option along one of Shelby County's busiest retail stretches.
Beef 'O' Brady's Exit Fits a Wider Pattern
The sudden closure wasn't an isolated incident for the chain's corporate family. Beef 'O' Brady's is operated by Tampa-based franchisor FSC Franchise Co., which also oversees national dining brands including The Brass Tap and Newk's Eatery. Hoodline previously reported on a Brass Tap closure tied to a separate lease dispute between local co-owners and a property manager.
First National Realty Partners owns Brook Highland Plaza.
No timeline has been set for Nami Sushi's debut, but its spot inside a 52-acre power center anchored by national retailers all but guarantees visibility for the incoming concept. For now, diners along US-280 will have to wait and watch the space that once housed The Boot and, more recently, Beef 'O' Brady's, for signs of the sushi spot's arrival.
